Windsurfing by using a board for windsurfing may be performed in light winds as well as in strong winds. Typically a windsurfing board that is suitable for light winds, is not well suited for strong winds. Also, a windsurfing board that is suited for strong winds is not well suited for windsurfing in light winds. The reasons will be explained in down below.
A windsurfing board typically comprises a board itself as well as a rig, comprising at least a mast and a sail, where a foot of the mast is designed to meet the board in a mast box.
A light wind windsurfing board typically has a relatively large board and a sail with a relatively large sail area. The light wind windsurfing board has a centerboard and a tail fin. On the other hand, a strong wind windsurfing board typically has a relatively small board and a sail with a relatively small sail area. It is advantages that the weight of the strong wind windsurfing board is as low as possible and that the bottom side or the so called “wet surface”, i.e. the surface that slides against the water, is as smooth as possible to reduce friction between the strong wind windsurfing board and the water. The strong wind windsurfing board has a tail fin but requires no centerboard fin. It is actually hindered by any centerboard fin.
In strong winds smaller windsurfing boards are preferably surfed with fin planning, i.e. they are sailed in planning when lying in a relatively high position in the water due to the water's surface tension.
Lying in a relatively high position in the water reduces the friction between a planning windsurfing board and the water. The resistance against a planning windsurfing board by the water is thus reduced. The reduced resistance can be translated into an increased forward driving force.
Due to the wind, a sideways drifting force is exerted on the windsurfing board. The sideways drifting force, in relation to the forward driving force, is therefore lower.
A fin planning windsurfing board can be sailed with one fin at the tail of the windsurfing board, a so called tail fin, which tail fin sufficiently reduces sideways drifting forces in strong winds.
In light wind conditions a larger windsurfing board lie in a relatively low position in the water and is sailed in non-planning by using the center board fin to reduce sideways drifting. Since the light wind windsurfing boards are larger than the strong wind windsurfing boards, they are heavier, and since they have a centerboard and a centerboard box for the centerboard fin, they show a higher resistance against the water relative strong wind windsurfing boards without a centerboard and a centerboard box.
Without centerboard box for the strong wind windsurfing boards, the resistance against the water as compared to the light wind windsurfing boards having a centerboard box, is reduced and therefore lends the strong wind windsurfing boards improved sailing properties in planning conditions.
A centerboard box in a windsurfing board increases the resistance against the water for said windsurfing board. The bottom of a strong wind windsurfing is therefore made smooth without a centerboard box. A relatively low resistance windsurfing board hence lends said windsurfing board relatively good sailing properties in planning conditions. In addition, a centerboard in a windsurfing board also increases the weight of the windsurfing board due to the weight of the centerboard and the centerboard fin box. There is thus another advantage not use a centerboard in a strong wind windsurfing board.
A light windsurfing board can not be planning in the water in light winds, whereas a strong windsurfing board is designed for planning in the water in strong winds. Needless to say, windsurfing is to a large extent dependent on the windsurfing skill of the person that is windsurfing, for which reason light winds are better suited for beginners, whereas strong winds mainly attract persons already skilled in the art of windsurfing.
Dependent on the wind and the surfer's surfing skills a variety of windsurfing boards are needed. Having a variety of wind surfing boards may be a transportation and storage challenge, since each board consumes substantial space.
The patent application EP0052783 A1 discloses a windsurfing board comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises a centerboard and the second portion comprises a fin at the tail of said second portion. The second portion is rotatable in relation to the first portion, providing the windsurfing board with two alternative bottom shapes of the second portion when lying in the water.
From DE101145806 it is known to improve the gliding properties of a windsurfing board, for instance, by providing cut-outs from the tail at the bottom side of the windsurfing board.
There is thus a need for an alternative windsurfing board by which the transportation and storage challenge is essentially solved.